Biscuits and Gravy

Fluffy, buttery biscuits split open and drowned in creamy sausage gravy. Biscuits and gravy is the South's greatest breakfast — rich, peppery, and unapologetically comforting. This is weekend-morning food worth waking up for.

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

40 mins

Servings

8 servings

Calories

720

Ingredients

• 250g all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 115g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 180ml cold buttermilk, plus extra for brushing
• 450g pork breakfast sausage
• 40g all-purpose flour, for the roux
• 500ml whole milk
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 220°C. Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl.
2. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter until pea-size crumbs form.
3. Stir in the buttermilk just until a shaggy dough comes together — do not overmix.
4. Pat into a 2cm-thick rectangle, fold in thirds like a letter, and repeat twice for flaky layers.
5. Cut out 8 biscuits with a floured cutter, place on a lined tray, and brush with buttermilk.
6. Bake 14 to 16 minutes until tall and deeply golden.
7. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a skillet, breaking it into crumbles, about 8 minutes.
8. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and fat, cook 2 minutes, then whisk in the milk and simmer until thick; season boldly with black pepper.

Pro tips

• Everything must be cold — butter, buttermilk, even the bowl if you can.
• Never twist the cutter; it seals the edges and kills the rise.
• Season the gravy boldly — black pepper is the star.
• Serve the biscuits split and hot, with gravy ladled over generously.

Frequently asked questions